Neymar and Rafinha in Brazil Olympic squad

Coach Rogerio Micale confirms the names of the eighteen players that will be representing the host country, who are looking to win football gold for the first time

www.fcbarcelona.cat

02:00PM Wednesday 29 Jun

Football

29 Jun 16

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Neymar Jr and Rafinha Alcántara will be going for gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, as confirmed by the Brazil team manager Rogerio Micale at an official press conference on Wednesday.

The players are expected to report for duty on July 18 and make their debut in the competition against South Africa in Brasília on August 4. The other two sides in Group A of the sixteen-team tournament are Iraq and Denmark.

There are high hopes in the host country that Brazil can finally win the Olympic title for the first time. The Canarinha have reached the final three times in the past, but have lost each time (to France in 1984, to the Soviet Union in 1988 and to Mexico in the most recent Games, held in London in 2012.